Potty Talk

Whenever I'm out and about on my own with NS and I need to use a bathroom, I head straight for the wheelchair accessible bathrooms because I can push the stroller right in and not have to worry about it being stolen with packages aboard. And of course there's the benefit of not having to take NS out of the stroller.

The times I have had to use the regular stalls, well when NS was smaller, I'd put him in the wrap and do my business. When he got bigger I'd sit him on the floor with paper towels or TP underneath him. When he was standing, he'd walk around the stall and I'd pray he wouldn't discover the small trash can. I'd also have to keep an eye out under the door to make sure the wheels of the carriage didn't move.

At the central bus station, it is now impossible for anyone in a wheelchair or with a stroller to use the bathrooms.

It used to be that up on the 3rd floor, where the departure gates are, were pay bathrooms at either end. Accessible only via turnstile. Tiny one.

Then all the way down on -1 were the free bathrooms and the wheelchair accessible one. Whether it was unlocked, clean and stocked with TP was always hit or miss.

Well now the bathrooms on -1 are being renovated and will have a turnstile added and will become pay toilets. I have my doubts as to whether the turnstile they had there will be big enough for a wheelchair or stroller.

Until those open, they've opened new bathrooms on the 2nd floor. The entrance to which brings new meaning to the word moronitude.

Pay toilets. Ok, I can understand. Turnstile is too small for wheelchair or stroller. But there's a guard sitting right there, in front of a locked door which can give one access to the bathrooms.

Only he doesn't have a key. One of the cleaning people does so you need to go track her down.

You pay your shekel, turn the stile and she opens the door for you.

Where you discover there are no stalls in the ladies room big enough or designated as wheelchair accessible. And it's not in a separate room.

So I had to take NS out of the carriage, bring him in with me and hope no one walked off with my stroller. I finished my business, washed my hands, got NS back into the stroller and headed for the door.

Which was locked... from both inside and out apparently (fire hazard, anyone?). The worker by the men's room was a total idiot by telling my I was stuck or I had to fold the carriage up and carry it, the baby and my packages through the turnstile.

I found the woman with the key and she let me out.

Moronitude, I tell ya.